NEWS IN BRIEF.

Separations Hard On Grandparents Too

October 11, 1998|By Veronique Mistiaen.

Grandparents who lose contact with their grandchildren are prone to serious health and emotional problems, British researchers say. Important members of the family network, grandparents play a valuable role as caregivers, confidants and companions to both their grandchildren and their own children. In turn, their grandchildren are an important part of the grandparents' life and fulfillment, said Linda Drew and professor Peter Smith of Goldsmiths College, London. But when parents separate or divorce, grandparents' contact with their grandchildren can be severely restricted or cut off completely, often by a parent and against the grandparents' wishes. Paternal grandparents are more vulnerable because mothers primarily tend to keep contact with their own parents after splitting.

Separation can have "profound effects" on the grandparents' health, the researchers said. They interviewed 146 members of the Grandparents' Federation who have lost contact or have limited contact with their grandchildren, and found increased reports of health problems, depression and difficulties coping.